Railway mail-delivery



H. E. SMITH. RMLWA-Y-MML DELWERY.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-21. 1918.

1,348,380; Patented Aug. 3,1920.

HERBERT E.

SMITH, 0F SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR T0 SPOKANE MAIL EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

RAILWAY MAIL-DELIVERY.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

Application filed October 21, 1918. Serial No. 259,050.

relates to improveand the special feature of the support which forms the subject matter of the present application is theintermediate device by which the mail pouches are supported and from which they are released by impact.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a cushioned suspending or intermediate device for mail pouches, adapted to be supported either from a railway car or the station platform by usual or suitable supports, cushion for absorbing the shock of im pact when the suspending chain becomes taut as the pouches are jerked from their support, and further the invention involves features whereby a certain amount of slack is permitted, below the weight of the pouches, in the suspending chains. An additional feature of the invention embodies means whereby the weight of the pouches, to a considerable extent, is withdrawn from the upper supporting rings, and imposed directly upon the suspending chain, and the upper and lower rings on the pouches perform, primarily, the function of maintaining the suspended mail pouches in upright position.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts as will be specifically pointed out in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention is illustrated, constructed the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the suspending or intermediate device of the present invention in its relation to the mail exchanging support, the support being adapted especially for a railway car, but it will be apparent that the suspending dedelivery, and particularly to supports in this class of devices,-

which involves avice is equally applicable for use at a railway station.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the suspending device, detached, and the details of its construction.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, from, the top, of the forked latch, showing in dotted lines the upper suspending head of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the connection at the lower end of the device with a flat spring arm supporting member.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 the side of the railway car is designated by the numeral C, the oscillating or horizontall revoluble post is P supported in hangers -1 adjacent the doorway of the car, and the support is completed by the upper arm A and lower flat spring arm The pouches 1 and 2 for containing the mail are of the usual standard type, each pouch having at its end a suspending ring 3, connected with the pouch by the loop 4, and these pouches are suspended on the intermediate device between the supports A and S by means of four similar snap hooks 5 of well known type.

The snap hooks are directly connected with the eye-links 6 and 6' and these special links are parts of the connected chains 7 and 8, that are alined to form the suspending device, the upper end of the chain being formed with a head 9 and the lower end of the chain section 8 having a head 10, and these heads form the connecting member between the suspending chain and supporting arms A and S, through the instrumentality of the latches 11 and 12, respectively. These latches are forked or bifurcated members, pivoted at 11 and 12 respectively to the supports '9 and 10, and of course are. adapted to turn on their pivots when required. The heads 9 and 10 are engaged by the forked latches as shown, and the mail pouches, suspended on the suspending chain are supported by this attachment device.

About midway of the suspending chain, a ring 13 is interposed, and to this ring the flexible member or chain 14 is coupled, a hook 15 being provided at the end of the chain and this hook is adapted to engage a link in the chain section 7 below the supporting arm and eye-link 6. This chain 14, which may be of lighter weight than the suspending chain, is provided to be wound around the waist of the two pouches 1 and 2, as seen in Fig. 1, and the hooked end of the chain is passed under the encircling portion thereof, and then the hook 15 is passed through one of the links of the section 7 as in Fig. 1. In this manner, the weight of the two pouches is, to a great extent, removed from the upper rings 3, 3, and imposed directly on the suspending chain section 7, and these rings, which usually are called upon to withstand the strain or pull of mail exchange, are thus relieved of a portion of their load, and are not subjected to usual wear and tear of usage.

Below the points of suspension for the pouches, a shock absorbing cushion, in the form of a coiled, contractile, spring 16 is provided between the two heads or cups 1'? and 18, and this cushion, it will be noted is located between the pairs of hooks upon I which the pouches are suspended, so that a certain amount of slack is permitted in the pouches. By its presence, this spring absorbs the great strain of the jerk when the chain becomes taut from the impact of the exchange device, and as the chain gradually tightens the cushion spring absorbs the shock after the impact.

It is believed the construction and operation of the device will be apparent from the drawings in connection with the description hereinbefore set forth, and it is obvious that the two pouches are suspended on the supporting or suspending chain by means of the latch hooks 5, and the suspending device as a Whole is supported from the upper and lower supporting members A and S through the instrumentality of the heads 9' and 10 and the pivoted, forked latches. The auxiliary chain 14 which is attached to the ring 13, is passed around the waists of the bags, the hook passed through the ring 13, and then the end drawn'through the ring and the hook then made to engage one of the links of the chain section 7 below the eyelink 6, thus imposing directly on the chain, the weight of the two pouches.

Claims:

1. In a railway mail exchange, the combi nation with upper and lower supporting members, of a suspending chain, spaced devices on said chain for supporting the mail pouch, means adapted to encircle the pouch and be attached to said chain, for imposing the weight of the pouch directly on the chain, and a shock absorbing cushion forming part of the chainlocated between the spaced devices to allow slack in the pouches.

2. The combination with the upper and lower supporting members, of a suspending chain and means thereon to connect with the ends of a mail pouch, an auxiliary chain attached to the suspending chain between said connecting means, said chain having a hook adapted to engage the suspending chain and to support the mail pouch, a coil spring interposed in the chain between the support ing members to permit slack in the pouch, as described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' HERBERT E. SMITH. 

